Understanding corporate culture is critical

Feb. 2, 2012 01:20 PM

Everyone talks about how important "corporate culture" is in finding a company in which you can succeed. But how can you really get a good idea about corporate culture when everyone you interview with has to be promoting the company so you'll want to work there?

Ann E. Zaslow-Rethaber

International Search Consultants

Corporate culture is a critically important component in making a good career match.

A great way to learn a company's true culture is to talk candidly with other employees.

Use LinkedIn to identify current and past employees. Just hit the company's tab, and it will give you a full list of all employees, both current and past, on LinkedIn.

A word of caution: please be aware of who you reach out. We recently had a candidate reach out to someone who was, in fact, the person that he was going to be replacing.

Be cognizant of the title of the person you are contacting. I would focus on asking general questions about the culture. Don't divulge too much about the specifics of the position you are interviewing for, since you don't know the level of confidentiality involved.

You also should feel comfortable asking questions about the company culture.

There is valuable information to be gleaned from talking with other employees, but it is also critical to find out what the company itself wants to emphasize about their own ethics.

Ask about core values and how they're applied in daily activities.

It's essential to know the kind of company you will join, to be able to judge whether it is, in fact, a good match.

Fred Bocker

Fishel & Bocker HR Associates, Inc.

Being a culture fit within an organization is critical to your motivation and long-term success.

First, find former employees of the company. They typically have no inhibitions about providing honest feedback about their former employer.

Find former employees through your network and social media outlets such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Research is very important, too.

Try to learn if employees are being compensated fairly, how the benefits package compares, if they regularly do performance appraisals. Ask about regular bonuses or other rewards based on results/performance.

During interviews, observe everything, including: first impressions, the office space and your ability to work within that space, the dress code, energy level, if employees have the best technology and how they interact.

I would also recommend questions, such as: do they promote from within, encourage professional development and do they have a tuition-reimbursement program?

Ask the interviewer straight out about the culture and the average employee tenure.

Ask if you can speak with current employees to get a feel about the offices and working space.

Finally, determine what is important to you and be diligent about discovering whether the company can provide you with what you need.